The group's plan will cost the government $9 billion more than current textbook costs during its first four years of implementation.

After that, though, the DLC says savings will amount to $500 million every year.

The DLC says this plan will improve education quality because:

eTextbooks can be easily updated, as opposed to print textbooks

They are more flexible and allow teachers to customize curriculum to specific needs of each classroom

Teachers can insert discussion questions, quizzes and other stuff to enhance the learning experience

eTextbooks are lighter than textbooks

And here is how the council thinks the plan can save costs:

Average cost of a print textbook is between $21 to $23. An eTextbook for the Kindle currently costs $50, but the the DLC expects that to drop to $20 in 2012.

Currently, $109 is spent per student on traditional textbooks, with the Kindle, it will drop to $80 in 2012. But during the first four years, of the plan's implementation the cost will actually go up to $200.

Yes the Kindle is expensive, but the DLC thinks with all the competition in the eReader market, that cost will come down. And according to the council, a scheme like this will actually encourage competition.